Poll: Bush Ratings Drop Slightly; Concerns About Economy and Direction of Country

The latest FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll shows that while President Bush’s approval ratings are still in a range his predecessors would have envied, they have declined from the historic high levels of last fall and winter.

Seventy-two percent of Americans now say they approve of Bush’s performance, while 18 percent say they disapprove. This represents a 4-point drop in the last two weeks and a 16-point drop since his high last November. The current rating, however, rivals the best ratings ever achieved by Presidents Clinton, Reagan or Bush Sr.

Looking at specific issues, 68 percent approve of Bush’s handling of foreign affairs and 25 percent disapprove. This is a drop of 11 points since January. His rating for handling terrorism has also declined from 84 percent in January to 78 percent today, and disapproval has nearly doubled from 9 percent to 16 percent.

Forty-seven percent approve his energy policy (a 2-point increase since January) but 32 percent disapprove — an increase of 5 points since January. His handling of the economy is also up—though from 59 percent in January to 64 percent today.

Concern About Country

As least part of this shift is being driven by increased public concern about the direction the country is taking. The number of people who see the country headed in the right direction has dropped from 75 percent last December to 58 percent today. The number who say the moral climate is headed in the right direction has fallen from a high 64 percent right after 9/11 to 43 percent today — almost back to the average 32 percent it has held for many years. Clearly, many Americans see the unity and sense of purpose generated by the outrage over 9/11 disappearing.

On the other hand, a sense that the economy is improving almost certainly bolsters Bush’s overall approval. As we’ve already seen his rating on the economy have improved, and 69 percent of Americans say they expect the economy to be better a year from now. However, 51 percent think the country is still in a recession and only 3 percent rate current economic conditions as excellent.

Polling was conducted by telephone April 30-May 1, 2002 in the evenings. The sample is 900 registered voters nationwide with a margin of error of ± 3 percentage points.

1) Considering how things are today, would you say that the U.S. is generally headed in the right direction, or is it off on the wrong track?

Right direction

Wrong track

Undecided

30 Apr-1 May 02

58%

26

16

2) Considering just the moral climate of the U.S. today, would you say that the U.S. is generally headed in the right direction, or is it off on the wrong track?

Right direction

Wrong track

Undecided

30 Apr-1 May 02

43%

44

13

3) Do you approve or disapprove of the job George W. Bush is doing as president?

Approve

Disapprove

(DK)

30 Apr-1 May 02

72%

18

10

4) Do you approve or disapprove of the job President Bush is doing on the following issues?

Approve

Disapprove

(Don't know)

Managing foreign affairs

30 Apr-1 May 02

68%

25

7

9-10 Jan 02

79%

12

9

6-7 June 01

55%

23

22

28-29 Mar 01

52%

22

26

Setting energy policy

30 Apr-1 May 02

47%

32

21

9-10 Jan 02

45%

27

28

6-7 June 01

38%

43

19

28-29 Mar 01

39%

33

28

Managing the economy

30 Apr-1 May 02

64%

29

7

9-10 Jan 02

59%

27

14

6-7 June 01

52%

29

19

28-29 Mar 01

52%

27

21

Handling terrorism

30 Apr-1 May 02

78%

16

6

12-13 Mar 02

84%

9

7

9-10 Jan 02

89%

6

5

18-19 Oct 01

89%

7

4

4-5 Oct 01

86%

7

7

20-21 Sept 01

88%

8

4

Dealing with Congress

30 Apr-1 May 02

66%

16

18

9-10 Jan 02

70%

13

17

5) Do you approve or disapprove of the job the United Nations is doing?

1. Approve

42%

2. Disapprove

33

3. (Not sure)

25

6) Do you think the United Nations is often anti-American, sometimes anti-American, or never anti-American?

1. Sometimes/often

71%

2. Never

14

3. (Not sure)

15

7) On a scale of excellent, good, only fair and poor, how would you rate economic conditions today?

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

(DK)

30 Apr-1 May 02

3%

27

53

16

1

8) A year from now, do you think the economy will be better or worse? Is that a lot (better/worse) or only a little (better/worse)?

A lot better

A little better

A little worse

A lot worse

(Not sure)

(No change)

30 Apr-1 May 02

25%

44

12

7

8

4

9) Some experts say the country's economic recession is over, while others say the country never really was in a recession. How did it feel to you and your family — the recession happened and is over, there wasn't a recession at all, or do you feel like we're still in a recession?SCALE: 1. Recession is over 2. No recession 3. Still in a recession 4. (Not sure)

Over

None

Still in one

(Not sure)

30 Apr-1 May 02

20%

23

51

6

12-13 Mar 02

13%

20

59

8

10) How likely do you think it is that the Middle East conflict will lead to Arab states withholding oil and using oil as a weapon against the United States?

1. Very/somewhat likely

70%

2. Not very/not at all likely

25

3. (Not sure)

5

11) If the Arab states use an oil embargo as a weapon against the United States, would you support or oppose cutting off all foreign aid to those countries?

1. Support

71%

2. Oppose

17

3. (Depends)

6

4. (Not sure)

6

12) Do you support or oppose U.S. military action to remove Iraqi President Saddam Hussein?

Support

Oppose

(Not sure)

30 Apr-1 May 02

70%

20

10

30-31 Jan 02

74%

15

11

28-29 Nov 01

77%

12

11

13) In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there have been charges that Israeli troops may have massacred civilians in the town of Jenin. Do you believe the Israeli troops in Jenin were doing what was necessary to find terrorists or were they intentionally targeting civilians?

1. Finding terrorists

41%

2. Targeting civilians

26

3. (Not sure)

33

14) Do you think Saudi Arabia is our friend and ally in the war on terror or not?

1. Yes

22%

2. No

56

3. (Not sure)

22

15) Some people believe there are terrorists currently hiding in the United States. If there are terrorists, Do you think they are hiding in American Muslim communities or non-Muslim communities?

1. Non-Muslim

36%

2. American Muslin communities

34

3. (Don't believe there are terrorists hiding in U.S.)

3

4. (Not sure)

27

16) How likely do you think it is that another terrorist attack causing large numbers of American lives to be lost will happen in the near future?

Very likely

Somewhat likely

Not very likely

Not likely at all

(Not sure)

30 Apr-1 May 02

33%

43

14

5

5

12-13 Feb 02

28%

45

18

5

4

3-4 Oct 01

33%

38

16

6

7

17) Based on what you know right now, what do you think happened between Robert Blake and his wife Bonny Lee Bakley?

1. Blake is guilty of murdering her

24%

2. Blake is guilty of hiring someone to murder her

20

3. Blake is innocent in his wife's murder

6

4. (Not sure)

50

18) Do you think Robert Blake is receiving special treatment from law enforcement officials because he is an actor?

1. Yes

29%

2. No

47

3. (Not sure)

24

19) Do you think Robert Blake's trial should be shown to the public on television?